Rack system for neckties or the like

ABSTRACT

A plurality of tie hanger members are mounted and retained in stacked relation on a straight vertical portion of a support rod which includes an upper hook portion adapted to receive a clothes bar within a closet. Each of the hanger members is generally flat and includes diametrically opposed arms which project outwardly from an integrally connecting hub portion having a hole for receiving the rod to provide for independent rotation of each hanger member on the rod. The arms of each hanger member include upwardly projecting tip portions which are adapted to engage the adjacent hanger member thereabove in response to relative rotation of the adjacent hanger members so that the entire set of hanger members may be rotated as a unit on the support rod and thereby avoid entanglement of the ties looped over the arms. The arms of each hanger member also include upwardly projecting studs spaced inwardly of the corresponding tip portions for limiting inward sliding movement of the ties on the arms.

tlrrite rates Duncan tent [191 Mar. 25, 1975 RACK SYSTEM FOR NECKTIES OR THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Thomas W. Duncan, 800 Tulip Ln.,

Connersville, 1nd. 47331 [22] Filed: July 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 381,773

223/DIG. 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 40,493 1 1/1863 Miller 211/96 512,739 l/1894 Northcraft 211/47 1,439,841 12/1922 Romm 211/163- 1,948,014 2/1934 Tuttle 211/115 1,980,557 ll/l934 Snitzer 211/113 2,650,717 9/1953 Larson i 211/116 X 2,706,563 4/1955 Larson..... 211/168 X D187,679 4/1960 SaltZ 211/13 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 455,198 6/1968 Switzerland 1 211/96 336,299 l/1920 Germany 211/96 25,994 10/1914 United Kingdom 211/113 5/1963 France ..2ll/l3l 8/1956 Austria ..2l1/ll3 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. Holko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jacox & Meckstroth [57] ABSTRACT A plurality of tie hanger members are mounted and retained in stacked relation on a straight vertical portion of a support rod which includes an upper hook portion adapted to receive a clothes bar within a closet Each of the hanger members is generally flat and includes diametrically opposed arms 'which project outwardly from an integrally connecting hub portion having a hole for receiving the rod to provide for independent rotation ofeach hanger member on the rod. The arms of each hanger member include upwardly projecting tip portions which are adapted to engage the adjacent hanger member thereabove in response to relative rotation of the adjacent hanger members so that the entire set of hanger members may be rotated as a unit on the support rod and thereby avoid entanglement of the ties looped over the arms. The arms of each hanger member also include upwardly projecting studs spaced inwardly of the corresponding tip portions for limiting inward sliding movement of the ties on the arms.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of hangers or racks for storing a supply of neckties, there have been many racks either constructed or proposed for mounting in a cantilevered manner on a vertical surface such as the inner surface of a closet door or an inner wall surface of a closet. For example, US. Pat. Nos. 2,485,201 and 2,506,467 disclose different forms of such tie racks for mounting on a vertical surface. There also have been a number of tie racks or hangers either proposed or constructed for mounting in a suspended manner from a horizontal clothes bar within a closet and which include a hook member for engaging or receiving the clothes bar. One form of such tie rack or hanger is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,370,715. Another form of suspended tie rack includes a conventional clothes hanger having a horizontal cross wire on which is slidably mounted a number of sheet plastic tie hooks. These types of suspended tie racks are particularly desirable for use in closets which are enclosed by either sliding doors or bifold doors since these door arrangements do not provide a conveniently exposed vertical surface for mounting a cantilevered type of tie rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an improved rack system which is primarily suited for neckties, but which may be used for storing'other articles such as belts, scarfs or the like. The rack system of the invention is adapted for attachment to a horizontal clothes bar within a closet and provides a neat and orderly display or arrangement of ties so that all ties areexposed and, in addition, provides for conveniently selecting, removing and replacing a tie. The rack system is also simple and economical in construction and assembly, and requires only a minimum space within a closet for storing a large supply of ties in a manner that provides for quick access to the ties.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of a tie rack constructed in accordance with the invention, a plurality of generally fiat hanger members are mounted on a straight portion of a support rod in stacked relation, and the support rod includes an upper hookshaped portion for receiving a horizontal clothes bar. Each of the hanger members is molded of a plastics material and includes diametrically opposed arms which project from a center hub portion having a vertical hole or bore for receiving the support rod. The arms of each hook or hanger member includes tip portions which project upwardly into the rotary path of the adjacent hanger member thereabove. The engagementof adjacent hanger members in response to relative rotation, provides for rotation of all of the hanger members or a group of them as a unit to facilitate convenient selection of a tie and to avoid entanglement of the supply of ties.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. -1 is an elevational view of a tie rack system constructed in accordance with the present invention, with a number of the hanger members being eliminated for purpose of simplification, and showing the hanger members in position for rotation as a unit;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tie rack system shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating its use for supporting and displaying a number of ties; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the suspended portion of the rack system shown in FIG. 2, and illustrating a group of the tie hanger members being rotated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The tie rack system shown in FlGS. l-3 of the draw ing, includes a rigid rod having a straight vertical portion 11 which depends from an integral hook-shaped portion 12 adapted to hang or receive a horizontal clothes bar within a closet. Preferably, the rod 10 is constructed from extruded aluminum rod stock having a diameter of approximately 1/4 inch, and has an anodized finish.

A plurality of hooks or hanger members 15 are mounted on the vertical portion 11 of the rod 10 in stacked relation, and preferably, each hanger member 15 is formed by injection molding a rigid thermoplastics material. Each of the hanger members 15 includes a center hub portion 17 which has a cylindrical bore 18 slightly larger than the diameter of the rod 10 so that each hanger member 15 is free to rotate on the vertical portion 111 of the rod 10.

Each of the hanger members 15 also includes a pair of diametrically opposed arms 22 which are molded as an integral part of the hub portion 17 and project radi- 'ally' outwardly having converging sidewalls forming a tapering configuration as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 to provide an overall length of approximately 6 /1 inches. Each arm 22 includes an integrally molded triangular rib 23 which projects downwardly and inwardly to the hub portion 17 for reinforcing and strengthening the arm 22. However, it is within the scope of the invention to eliminate or reduce the size of the ribs 23 and to core a portion of each arm 22 so that it has a generally inprojects upwardly by a substantial distance so that it projects into the rotary path of the arms 22 of the adjacent hanger member 15 directly thereabove. Thus each hanger member 15 can be rotated on the vertical portion 11 ofthe rod 10 by no more than approximately before the hanger member engages each adjacent hanger member. The arms 22 of each hanger member 15 also include integrally molded studs or projections 29 which project upwardly by approximately onefourth of the height of the tip portions 26. Because of the tapering configuration of arms 22, and the relatively small thickness of the tip portion 26 the rack system will occupy minimum horizontal space.

A stack of hanger members 15 are retained on the vertical portion 11 of the rod by a generally cylindrical collar 32 which has a tapered hole 33 for receiving a slightly enlarged or flattened lower end portion 34 of the rod 10. After the hanger members and collar 32 are assembled on the straight vertical portion 11 of the rod 10, the hanger members. 15 and collar 32 are moved upwardly on the rod while the lower end portion 34 of the rod is slightly flattened or deformed. The collar 32 is then moved downwardly on the rod 10 so that the flattened end portion 34 of the rod is received within the tapered hole 33. r

The use of the tie rack system described above is generally illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Before any ties are placed on or looped over the hanger members 15, the uppermost hanger member is held in one hand while the lowermost hanger member is rotated in either direction so that the tip portions 26 of each hanger member abuts or engages the arms 22 of the hanger member directly thereabove. While the hanger members 15 are in this relationship and are capable of being rotated in one direction as a unit, a supply of neckties or ties T are looped or hooked onto the arms 22 in a uniform successive manner as illustrated in FIG. 2. As also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the projections 29 serve as a stop for the ties T and limit inward radial movement of the ties on the arms 22.

Since each tie is exposed, and the arms 22 may be quickly separated at any level to provide convenient access to a selected tie, the time required for selecting and removing a tie is reduced. That is, the free rotation of each of the hanger members 15, provides for conveniently viewing and selecting a tie in addition to removing a tie from the corresponding support arm 22. Furthermore, the interfering arrangement of the tip portions 26 of the hanger members 15 enables either all or a group of the hanger members 15 to be rotated as a unit to provide for conveniently positioning a selected tie for full viewing, and also assures that the ties do not become entangled during rotation of one or more hanger members 15. a

While the form of rack system herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

within a vertical plane and including diametrically opposed arm portions projecting outwardly from an integrally connecting center hub portion having an opening for receiving said rod, each of said arm portions having outwardly converging side walls forming a tapering configuration, said hub portion of each said hanger member having a vertical height greater than that of said arm portions to define a substantial clearance space between the corresponding said arm portions of adjacent said hanger members, said clearance spaces providing for free independent rotation of each hanger member after neckties are placed on the corresponding said arm portions, each of said hanger members further including an integral tip portion projecting upwardly from the outer end of each said arm portion into the clearance space, said tip portions of each said hanger member extending upwardly by a distance greater than the clearance space to engage the adjacent said hanger member .thereabove to limit the free independent relative rotation of each said hanger member for avoiding entanglement of the neckties carried by said arm portions, and said tip portions each have a horizontal thickness substantially less than that of the integral said hub portion for minimizing the horizontal space occupied by said rack system.

2. A rack system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for retaining said hanger members, comprise a substantially cylindrical collar member of plastics material mounted on the lower end portion of said rod and having means defining an enlarged tapering recess, and said lower end portion of said rod includes an outwardly deformed projection seated within said recess.

3. A rack system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said hanger members includes a reinforcing rib integrally connecting said hub portion to each of the corresponding said arm portions, and each said rib has a horizontal thickness substantially less than that of said integral hub portion. 

1. A rack system adapted to receive a supply of neckties, comprising an elongated rod having a hooked upper end portion for suspending said rod in a vertical position from a clothes bar, a plurality of hanger members each formed of a substantially rigid plastics material and mounted on said rod in stacked relation for 360* rotation, means on the lower end portion of said rod for retaining the stack of hanger members on said rod, each of said hanger members being generally flat within a vertical plane and including diametrically opposed arm portions projecting outwardly from an integrally connecting center hub portion having an opening for receiving said rod, each of said arm portions having outwardly converging side walls forming a tapering configuration, said hub portion of each said hanger member having a vertical height greater than that of said arm portions to define a substantial clearance space between the corresponding said arm portions of adjacent said hanger members, said clearance spaces providing for free independent rotation of each hanger member after neckties are placed on the corresponding said arm portions, each of said hanger members further including an integral tip portion projecting upwardly from the outer end of each said arm portion into the clearance space, saId tip portions of each said hanger member extending upwardly by a distance greater than the clearance space to engage the adjacent said hanger member thereabove to limit the free independent relative rotation of each said hanger member for avoiding entanglement of the neckties carried by said arm portions, and said tip portions each have a horizontal thickness substantially less than that of the integral said hub portion for minimizing the horizontal space occupied by said rack system.
 2. A rack system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for retaining said hanger members, comprise a substantially cylindrical collar member of plastics material mounted on the lower end portion of said rod and having means defining an enlarged tapering recess, and said lower end portion of said rod includes an outwardly deformed projection seated within said recess.
 3. A rack system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said hanger members includes a reinforcing rib integrally connecting said hub portion to each of the corresponding said arm portions, and each said rib has a horizontal thickness substantially less than that of said integral hub portion. 